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On May 23, 1799 William married Clarissa Hall in a ceremony performed by William Amy, Justice of the Peace. (Shortly after this time local vital records began to be kept in the newly organized church, and when the church was destroyed by fire in 1942, many of the early records were destroyed with it. Exact dates are therefore unknown during early days.) Sometime during their first year of marriage Clarissa died. Nearly three years later, in 1802, William married Clarissa's sister Sally Hall (Isaac5 Isaac4 Jonathan3 Thomas2 Johnl). John Hall was born in England in 1605. He was one of the early settlers at New Haven Colony, where his son Thomas was born March 2 , 1649. Later he moved to Wallingford, where he was one of the earliest settlers. Dr. Isaac Hall4 was the first physician in Meriden, and he married Mary Morse, whose ancestor John Moss (the spelling had changed) had been one of the prime developers of Wallingford. Their son Isaac5 had married Phebe Ives, who was descended from Captain William Ives, one of the founders of the New Haven Colony. Of Isaac's children, Phoebe married Elihu Ives and moved to Ludlow, Vermont, and Clarissa and Sally both married William Cutler. As William and Sally settled down to raising a family, they energetically pursued several interests. They had a good farm that William's father had set up for him. An interesting sidelight on the complicated nature of property dealings may be seen in a transaction on August 25, 1804, when William and Sally sold to William Dana for $20 a fractional interest in the original Right of Thomas Hart, which Sally's father had given her prior to her marriage. The property was not finally transferred until William had gone to Wallingford more than a year later and gotten Sally's sister Elizabeth to quitclaim her fractional interest which was equal to Sally's, for $60. During the long period between harvests William became a shoemaker, though how extensively he pursued this craft is not known. In addition to farming, shoemaking and other interests, William became active in church affairs. By 1810 he was chosen Deacon, indicating that the church members felt that he was of sufficient character to impose an example of conduct on the community. In January l8l2, William died at the age of 41. The cause of his death is not known. The estate of Deacon William Cutler was first probated on January 18, 1812 when Sally Cutler "widow of William Cutler, late of Guildhall" and Erastus Cutler were appointed administrators. The inventory totaled $2,536.80, a substantial sum in those days. Charles Cutler was Judge of Probate. Micah Amy was appointed guardian of the children, all five of whom were minors. It may seem strange that he would be thus appointed with so many Cutlers around, but it must be remembered that he had been one of Benoni's dear friends, his wife was one of Sally's relatives, William's sister Rebecca had married his son Caleb, so he was really the elder "member of the family." |